darkorns 0 Posted August 21, 2007 Hello, Few weeks after purchase my MH721 is making some edges of the graphic jagged. I'm using Corel Draw and SignCut and on this example font is converted into curves. Pretty much all diagonal edges (sharp angle) gets jagged in standard speed 24, force 80. As I decrease the speed edges get more refined, but force doesn't matter. While it was new, all edges were perfect. I'm using this cutter for T-shirt vinyl, connected via USB. I checked carriage wheels, different blades, roller tension, blade offset.. but no luck. The issue is best notable on letter A. You will also notice how from O (origin) to the left, edges on the "a" get less jagged. http://www.codardesign.com/cutter/ Other than this, cutter is great! Thanks! DARREN Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darkorns 0 Posted August 22, 2007 Is this official support forum or not? What man has to do to get some support around here? Darren Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wg_kjell 0 Posted August 22, 2007 Hello, That was pretty wobbly. When first looking at the pictures i would think it was the teflon-strip that was weary. A typical sign of that is that the cutting gets better when it moves further along the width-axis. But i've not seen such wobblyness (is that a word?) when it's the teflon-strip. But do please check the teflon-strip, otherwise i would guess it has to do with the carriage being somewhat off the metal-bar that holds it. Sorry for bad english here. Anyway, check the teflon-strip first. Since you have checked the carrier-wheels then it's probably not that. Does it sound different when cutting at that side where the wobblyness occurs? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kenimes 42 Posted August 22, 2007 Our internet was down all day yesterday, so I am sorry for the delayed response. Please make sure your carriage is sitting on the tracks properly. Sometimes during shipping, the carriage pops off the track. There are white wheels behind the carriage that need to sit ON the tracks and not in front of them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darkorns 0 Posted August 22, 2007 Thanks for reply! Yes, carriage is sitting properly. As I said everything worked fine for a first few weeks and now it is deteriorating as time goes by. Also, edges are more jagged on the right side (below display) DARREN Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kenimes 42 Posted August 23, 2007 Have you tried cutting some basic text out of SignCut? Does it do the same thing? If not, it could be a problem with the files coming over from Corel. Maybe try saving in .eps instead of .ai or vice versa to see if one file format is better than the other. Also make sure the blade is spinning on a 360 degree axis in the blade holder, some users even put a bit of lube in the holder. Make sure the feed rollers do not have any "play" in them, and if so, they can be tightened with the alan wrench that came in the box. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dee7966 0 Posted August 24, 2007 change your blade to a 60 degree instead of a 45 if that is what you are using. heat transfer material is supposed to be cut with the 60. that could be the jagged edge problem, oh and by the way,,,, that stuff wears out blades faster than you think. make sure the blade is sharp, do test cuts from the plotter. higher pressure is a sure sign of blade dullness. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MarkH 0 Posted August 24, 2007 Thanks for reply! Yes, carriage is sitting properly. As I said everything worked fine for a first few weeks and now it is deteriorating as time goes by. Also, edges are more jagged on the right side (below display) DARREN I have the same problem with "A" "Y" "V". Anything that cuts on an angle comes out a little wavy on the edges. Carriage is in its proper placement. I tried everything and still doesn't seem to change. And it is NOT in the artwork file. I am puzzled on this too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darkorns 0 Posted August 25, 2007 Gentlemen you are not listening to me. First it started few weeks after purchase and is deteriorating over time. Within 3 months, I changed 3 blades. Transfer material is cut with 45 deg blade as per manufacturer suggestion. Second, it gradually change from very bad left edge to perfect left edge from left to right. And third, it doesn't depend on artwork, i tried vector, fonts, vector with more nodes, with less nodes, ai, eps it doesn't matter. Also, I'm cutting material for a client who is using different material, different artwork and it is the same. Thanks for your reply! Darren Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bigmac 1 Posted August 25, 2007 As I stated in other posts, I stoped doing any cutting until I found out what the problems are with my cutters. I have a mh365 and mh721. I have had all kinds of problems. I have changed erevy setting there is in signcut that you can, I even tried lpt1 with refine 2 driver and the serial port with mh721/eh721 driver nothing helped. To make a long story short I download some other software, signgo, its free for 30 days used there eh721 driver and made some cuts, you would not beleive the drifferance. I beleave the tests cuts I have made prove that the plotter/cutters work the way they should. I beleave the problem is with signcut. Try down loading signgo and see if your cut get better. By the way I do not work for anyone connected signgo, I only selected it because its free for 30 days. I will be buying Signblazer/06 after Sept. 1, Im retired and dont have the money until then. Hopes this helps. Please let us know what the out come is if you try this. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darkorns 0 Posted August 27, 2007 I just installed Signngo and SignBlazer Demo and it didn't change a thing. I don't think it's software related. However, I noticed that edges are more jagged at the center of the cutter where metal roller meets, so I tried to tighten them up, but they were already tight. They don't move where they shouldn't and appear to be aligned. I also tried 60 deg blade and that helped a lot, however this is not how my material is supposed to be cut and not to mention that it worked perfectly first few weeks. Is there anything else I can tighten or check? Thanks! Darren Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bigmac 1 Posted August 27, 2007 This may help Ken or someone figure out what is causing our problem, we both have the same one. 99 % of the work I do is small window graphics and decals cutting at 4 to 8 ipm. They come out distorted. Yesterday I had to cut some 15 inch tall letters, the edges and the A and V were very jagged. When I recut them I noticed that the carriage was very jerkey on any diagonal cuts (24 ipm), however it is smooth on straight cuts or diagonal moves with the cutter in the up position. To try and isolate the problem I took off the drive belt for the rollers, no differance. Could this be a bad mother board ? Thanks Bigmac Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kenimes 42 Posted August 27, 2007 I do not think this is a motherboard issue, but sounds more like a carriage or carriage arm issue. I assume you are both using the back position of the carriage arm for your balde holder. Make sure there is no play in the carriage arm, and nothing is loose on the carriage itself. You could remove the black casing from the carriage and inspect inside as well. Worst case scenario, we may need to replace a part, or the cutter itself. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bigmac 1 Posted August 27, 2007 I have inspected every thing I can, nothing loose of broken. When you say I may need to replace a part, what part?, or the cutter itself, are you talking about the entire plotter/cutter or the cutter blade. This cutter was only shipped to me on june 27, 2007 , only 2 months old and cut less than 200 yards of vinyl. I think the plotter/cutter should last more than 2 months. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darkorns 0 Posted August 27, 2007 That's right Bigmac, very small graphic isn't affected as much as large is. Since I'm going crazy over this and friends who payed 5 times more for Roland are now laughing at me (I used to mock them before), here is a video and more pics, so please take a look: http://www.codardesign.com/cutter2/play.htm - is carriage arm supposed to have this tolerance? http://www.codardesign.com/cutter2/1.jpg - here is open carriage, nothing seems loose to me http://www.codardesign.com/cutter2/2.jpg - other angle http://www.codardesign.com/cutter2/3.jpg - this is also bothering me, is the blade protruding enough? http://www.codardesign.com/cutter2/4.jpg - I know this may not be good, will somebody please explain once and forever the best way to tighten these rollers up? Thank you! Darren Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Judd 0 Posted August 28, 2007 You ask if blade is protruding enough, I would say it's to muchThe pic of cutting blade looks to me to be protruding to much, I have mine set to where if you pulled your finger acrossed the end of holder you would feel just a touch of drag from the blade point and if I look at it in position you have in pic I can't even see blade and it cuts fine. Maybe has something to do with your cutting problems? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BannerJohn 1,324 Posted August 28, 2007 I agree on that...blade looks way too far out. This would certainly account for jagged edges. As for tightening the rollers...I've never had to tighten mine...what happens that makes you think yours need to be tightened? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darkorns 0 Posted August 28, 2007 BannerJohn and Judd, I decreased the protrusion of the blade and it didn't help at all. Thanks for your reply. In the meantime, I noticed something else: My vinyl is 15" and I always put it in the middle of cutting strip. Now, I noticed that if I move it far left (beneath display) edges got much worse, and if I put it on the far right, edges get smoother, the wobbliness almost dissappears. Take a look at pictures: http://www.codardesign.com/cutter3/1.jpg and zoomed in: http://www.codardesign.com/cutter3/2.jpg http://www.codardesign.com/cutter3/3.jpg http://www.codardesign.com/cutter3/4.jpg http://www.codardesign.com/cutter3/5.jpg If someone wants to try, here is Corel file: http://www.codardesign.com/cutter3/test.cdr It definately appears to be problem with rollers, either metal or rubber ones. Is there anything I else I can check? Regards, Darren Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BannerJohn 1,324 Posted August 28, 2007 when I download the file and open in Corel,I get nothing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darkorns 0 Posted August 28, 2007 This was Corel X3 version, I saved it now as ver 10. please try again. Darren Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kenimes 42 Posted August 28, 2007 If it was working fine, and progressively has gotten worse, then it could be something coming loose in the carriage. Maybe remove the outer case of the carriage and make sure everything is tight and has no "play" like it was loose. Sounds like maybe something is rattling loose due to the vibration of the machine. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BannerJohn 1,324 Posted August 28, 2007 I was able to cut the file with no problems.I think maybe Ken is right. Something has rattled lose somewhere. Since you say it cuts better on certain areas,have you checked your cutting strip to make sure it is flat and smooth from end to end? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darkorns 0 Posted August 28, 2007 BanerJohn thanks for trying to cut my file! Ken did you see my video and pictures of the carriage: http://www.codardesign.com/cutter2/play.htm http://www.codardesign.com/cutter2/1.jpg http://www.codardesign.com/cutter2/2.jpg Other than it allows me slight up-down movement of the blade holder, as you can see on video, there is nothing loose or rattled as I can see. Cutting strip is almost new, since I kept masking tape for a long time. Is there anything else inside the unit I can check or tighten up? Darren Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kenimes 42 Posted August 28, 2007 Maybe try opening the top grey panel (4 screws), and cutting something with the panel off. It will not come completely off, but you can move it up and back a bit, but the cables will keep it from coming completely off. It could be the the carriage is hitting something on the inside of the cutter when cutting. I watched the vid and looked at the pics, and everything seems to be in order. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darkorns 0 Posted August 28, 2007 Ken, I just tried it and it didn't change at all. Darren Share this post Link to post Share on other sites